Every year the Canterbury Club celebrates the great tradition of bullfighting in Spain with the annual Capea de Toros. The Club goes to the ranch, Las Palmeras (twenty minutes outside of Madrid) of the famous bullfighter on horseback (rejoneador), José Miguel Callejón. Last year the Club met on a Saturday at 12:30pm in the Plaza España in the center of Madrid. We arrived at the ranch to set up the tables and chairs on the outdoor grass, fire up the barbecue and put on flamenco music while enjoying the warm sunshine of a beautiful weekend afternoon in Spain. The lunch consisted of traditional Spanish barbecue favorites comprised of grilled chorizo, morcilla and panceta among more “western” fare. Naturally, there was also an unlimited supply of sangria to help get your courage up for the capea later on!
After lunch, there was a tour of the ranch encompassing the bullring, barns, horse stables and bull pens. Later the club played various games in the bullring including the three-legged races, a tug of war and the egg toss. Finally it was on to the main event! The vaquilla was released into the bullring and now was the time to try out your “bullfighting” skills. The people, who preferred to watch, were up in the grandstand, watching the action whilst drinking sangria and placing bets.
Oh course, it’s difficult to amaze your friends back home or have stories to tell your grandchildren from the grandstand…